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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | infant death | Is 7:16 | kin | 25325 | ||
I agree with Nolan on this.Children are saved up to an age of accountability. Yet this brings up a question that will challenge many on this forum. Some say that we can't lose our salvation, yet a child loses their salvation if they don't grow up to accept Jesus. This is a contradictary statement but a belief that is held by some. So are children condemmed until they accept Jesus or is there a falling away of those who grow up not accepting Christ? | ||||||
2 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Makarios | 25403 | ||
Greetings kin! Interesting question! I've thought in depth about this very question many times.. Yes, I believe in an "Age of Accountability".. However, I also believe in "Eternal Security".. So how do I reconcile those two views together, since we all know that not all babies grow into professing Christians by adulthood? Excellent question.. On the surface, it appears that both of these two views contradict each other. But this is how I see it.. The fact that a person does not know the law does not nullify the fact of sin, if indeed a person has committed a sin. However, verses such as Matt. 19:14, Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16 suggest to me that the Lord Jesus, who knows every single detail of each one of our individual lives, will not focus His wrath upon small children, but only on those who have willfully disobeyed Him. I believe that children can only "willfully disobey" after they have become knowledgable (and accountable) for their own sin. But in that period of development before they know what 'disobedience' is, then I believe that our Lord will protect and be with their little souls, if in fact, they should perish before they develop and grow. However, the point of becoming "willfully disobedient" comes at a very early age in childhood as well, and this is where, I believe, that a child has already become accountable for their own disobedience. So I believe that the love and grace of Jesus would extend also to those very small children who have not developed to the stage of recognizing what willful disobedience is. But once a child has exceeded this stage, then I believe that they are and should be held accountable. And then we Christians can only hope and pray that these children will grow to accept the salvation message of Jesus, which can securely save them from their sins forever, sealing them at salvation and forever keeping them in the Lord's hand forever! And if, at some point after first professing Christ, they become 'entangled' and turn their backs upon the Gospel, then I would conclude that they did not truly and fully receive the gift of salvation the first time. We can only pray that after completely turning their backs once, that they will be truly ashamed of what they have done (if they have merely "tasted" the truth of God's love) so that they will fully and wholeheartedly repent of their sins, turning back to the Lord, so that salvation can actually happen at this point, which did not occur the first time. However, if they do not decide to turn to the Lord (since they had first "tasted" what was in store for them), and if they do not act upon their "shame" (or feel no shame at all for turning from the Lord), then they will be eternally lost, and their public rejection of Christ will sear their consciences irrevocably, with no chance at all of ever getting back to that point of innocence, creating a deep chasm between them and the Lord forever.. This is the greatest tragedy of them all. - Nolan |
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3 | infant death | Is 7:16 | kin | 25636 | ||
Hi Nolan, I like your reply on the salvation of children. I would agree with you on this assumption. But I would disagree with the idea that a person did not fully and wholeheartedly repent of their sins as an explanation to why they have left Christ. The scripture teaches that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit; by their fruit you will recognize them. I have know a few people that were faithful to the Lord. Their faith reflected in their life; I knew them. But these people have turned away from God and are no longer with us. In Gods grace we are given the opportunity to accept Christ or not; the choice is always there. But it is a daily battle to stay faithful. Heb. 3:12-15 I beleive that although sin is forgiven, it still can harden or hearts if it goes unrepented of. Ultimately our hearts can be hardened to the point where we turn or backs on God. Gods grace is from God and is irrevocable; our faith is from ourselves and we are left with the choice. Take away our choice and we take away the ability to love. I know this is a very controversial issue, but my position in this forum is to gain understanding and hopefully give some back. Give me some feedback and we can discuss this further. Kin |
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4 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Makarios | 25660 | ||
Greetings kin! The salvation of infants and newborns is more than just an "assumption" on my part. :-) I agree, it is a daily battle to withdraw from sin and stay faithful, although I believe that if you do sin after salvation, that does not in itself keep you from being saved. However, Scripture clearly exhorts us to live a Godly life daily and to strive for perfection. I would agree with you there as well. However, I believe that a person can only be saved ONCE. A person can only go through salvation ONCE. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that a person can go through the salvation experience any more than at one time. So how do you explain a person who first professed Christ, then turned completely away, and now is back to fully professing Christ?? If salvation is a one-time experience that happens at one single time, then does it mean that a person was saved the first time or at the second time? I do believe, however, that if a person professed Christ, then turned away, and then when it came to the "crossroads" again (either accepting or rejecting Him) that they rejected Christ, then they are lost (Heb. 6:4). But the "key" to my understanding is that salvation is a 'one time' experience! It only happens to a person ONCE. And I believe that once it happens to you, that the Lord will be with you and you will not "lose" it. Blessings to you, Nolan |
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